Flagship sedan Lincoln MKS is restyled for 2013

Lincoln MKS has a new grille, hood, front fenders and fascia, new HID headlights and 19- or 20-inch aluminum wheels.

The Lincoln MKS is the flagship sedan for the American luxury car maker and it has been updated for 2013 with sleeker styling and a new interior.

On the outside there is a new grille, hood, front fenders and fascia, new HID headlights, 19- and 20-inch aluminum wheels, decklid, LED taillights and exhaust tips. Inside, the MKS has newly crafted interior highlighted by an all-new instrument panel, MyLincoln Touch and rich new color schemes that complement new luxury materials and stitching.

The MKS also comes with Lincoln Drive Control, an automatic system that delivers a smooth ride and sure handling as it intuitively responds to a driver’s commands and the road itself. At the same time, Lincoln Drive Control lets drivers change the driving characteristics of the car with a touch of the gear selector.

Shifting from Drive to Sport automatically moves handling performance, ride firmness, throttle response, shift feel, steering response and traction control/electronic stability control parameters. The MKS also has Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) as standard equipment. CCD monitors suspension settings up to 500 times per second and adjusts the suspension 20 times per second to deliver more controlled handling and a smoother ride.

Under the hood, the MKS has a 304 hp (30 more horses than last year) 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine that provides V-8 performance with the fuel economy of a V-6 (18/27 mpg). The EcoBoost V-6 has twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti- VCT) that optimizes the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves to increase engine responsiveness and efficiency. Optional is the more powerful 3.5-liter gasoline turbo direct-injected (GTDI) engine that produces 365 hp at 5,700 rpm (17/25 mpg).

Two versions of the six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission are available, both with steering wheel paddle shifters. The 3.7- liter Ti-VCT V6 uses the 6F-50, while the 3.5-liter EcoBoost gets the heavy-duty 6F- 55, which has high-energy friction materials, a larger ring gear and a specific torque converter to handle the high torque output of the engine. Both gearboxes offer the choice of fully automatic operation or manual control.

All-wheel drive is standard with the twin-turbo 3.5-liter engine and optional on the 3.7-liter V6. In good weather, over smooth roads at modest speeds and when AWD is not needed, the system intelligently routes power only to the front wheels for improved fuel efficiency. When driver input or road conditions indicate that a slip might occur, the system sends power to the rear wheels to help prevent tire slip — for example on rain-soaked or snow-covered roads. Larger brake components increase braking power and fade resistance.

Base pricing on the 2013 Lincoln MKS ranges from $42,810 to $49,800.

Ron Beasley is the automotive editor for Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277, ext. 261, or by addressing email correspondence to LetsTalkCars@aol.com.